Fantasy Baseball 2026 shortstop rankings (1-15)

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9 February 2026 at 17:20

Shortstop is a much deeper position than the rest of the infield positions coming into 2025, with some elite options that should fly off the board in the first round of drafts. If you miss out on studs like Bobby Witt, Francisco Lindor, Gunnar Henderson, or Elly De La Cruz in the first round, fear not; there are a bunch of young and exciting options that we can grab later in our drafts that I feel are primed for a breakout season in 2026. Let’s take a look at the top 15 players at shortstop for this fantasy baseball season.

MORE: Fantasy Baseball 2026 Catcher Rankings (16-30)

1) Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

He’s going as a top 3 pick in most early drafts, but I would still take him one overall, over Judge and Ohtani. He’s a 5-category stud who has yet to have his peak statistical season as of yet. When he does, we could be looking at a triple crown level, MVP season to the tune of .335-35-120-100-50. The triple crown might be tough playing half of his games in Kaufman Stadium, but this guy is more than worth his draft capital at any pick.

2) Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

Sep 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) throws out New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (not pictured) at first base after fielding a ground ball during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

I’ll be happy to take any discount I can get with this guy if the other owners decide to hold last year against him. He was hurt to begin 2025, and he never quite got on track as his power numbers dipped from 2024, despite the Orioles lowering the fence in left field. His K rate and walk rate improved slightly, and the speed was there with a career high of 30 steals. If/when he puts it all together, he could put up a 40/40 season. Entering his age-25 season, I’m buying Henderson anywhere I can.

3) Francisco Lindor, Mets

He has settled in as an elite first-round talent that you can count on for .260-30-90-100-25 year in and year out. At 32 years of age, it won’t last forever, but it will last at least another year. His K rate actually dropped a bit last year, and with a little better luck, he could bat closer to .280. He’s a safe late first-round pick who makes a great anchor for your offense.

4) Elly De La Cruz, Reds

The good news is he managed to cut down on his strikeouts. The bad news is that he still got stuck over 180 times. We can live with that. It was actually 6 fewer K’s than Shohei Ohtani, so as long as he can maintain a batting average north of .260, I’m in. The curious part of his game right now is that he still hasn’t had a 30-home run season while playing in that bandbox in Cincy. The power and speed are there for him to put up a 40/40 or even 50/50 season someday, but for now, we’ll take 25+ homers and 35+ steals as a baseline. He’s worth a shot in the late 1st or early second round based on potential alone.

5) Trea Turner, Phillies

Oct 9, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first for an out in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Turner is another year older, but he’s still a top performer when he’s on the field. If he can manage 140+ games again like he did last year, we’ll take the .300+ average, 15+ homers, and 30+ steals that will come with it. He’s a solid player across the board and may fall a bit in smarter drafts due to his age and lack of upside potential. We aren’t buying him for his potential; we are buying him here because he’s a steady batting average anchor that contributes to all counting stats.

6) Mookie Betts, Dodgers

Much like Turner, his draft stock is somewhat tarnished amongst the “smart crowd”. Entering his age-33 season, most will think he’s on the downside of a great career, and you may be able to pick him up as late as the 4th round in some drafts. As we get closer to the season, his name still carries weight, so he likely won’t last that long in your home league. We are buying here for the same reasons as Turner. He’s a steady contributor across the board, and I’m willing to bet that last year’s batting average dip was due to bad luck and not a slowing bat. He should return to .280-20-80-90-10 in a full season

7) Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks

There is a lot to like here. Perdomo was always a good prospect for Arizona, but nobody saw last year’s breakout coming. He hit 20 home runs, up from a career high of 6, and stole 27 bases, up from his previous best of 16. Most impressive was the .290 batting average and .389 OBP that was fueled by an impressive 94/83 Walk to K ratio. A guy who walks more than he K’s and hits the ball hard is always a good bet to put up stats. His season was such a revelation that the D-backs will now have to find a new position for top prospect Jordan Lawlar. Perdomo will be a top 3 or 4 option if he does it again, and I’m willing to buy in with his current ADP sitting as late as the 5th round.

8) Zach Neto, Angels

Neto is coming off a great year where we saw him elevate his game to some lofty levels by hitting 26 homers along with 26 steals, despite missing over 30 games of the season due to shoulder surgery last offseason. He just turned 25 this offseason, so there’s good reason to think there are even more gains left in his overall arsenal. The strikeouts lowered slightly, but there is still room to improve from last year’s 23.8% whiff rate. He’s not a great base stealer yet, and if he doesn’t improve his .318 OBP from last year, he won’t bat at the top of the lineup and may not get as many chances to run. He will likely be a bit over drafted for my liking, but if he falls to the late 3rd or 4th round, I’m all in. Downside: .230 BA with only 15 steals.

9) Jeremy Pena, Astros

Jun 17, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña (3) during the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Pena is coming off a career year where he batted .304 with 17 homers and 20 steals. The power and steals were there in previous seasons, but the average was quite the revelation. The underlying numbers suggest that .304 is probably an outlier, but the contact gains he made should keep him above his career .271 rate. His numbers last year came in just 127 games, so it’s possible he can flirt with a 30/30 season in 2026 if he stays healthy. He’s a great pick-up in the middle rounds if you missed out on the top options.

10) C.J. Abrams, Nationals

He grew up some last year and was able to replicate his stat line from 2024. He still has yet to put together a full season, but at just 25 years old, that year is coming. The batting average will always be a bit of a risk due to his free-swinging approach, but his upside potential is a 30/40 season. There’s another level here, and I will definitely be buying into it to find it.

11) Jacob Wilson, Athletics

There’s a batting crown coming, and it just might be this year. He also showed some pop in his bat last year as he hit 9 of his 13 homers before missing a month of the season due to a broken arm. If he can stay in the 15-home run range and chip in with a handful of steals, he’ll be well worth a mid-round pick. At worst, he’s a batting average anchor that will chip in 80+ runs and RBI. His full potential is .350-15-90-90-1,0, and we will take that all day long.

12) Dansby Swanson, Cubs

Swanson is an amazing real-life player who gives the Cubs a great clubhouse leader and top-notch defender at shortstop. In fantasy, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag over the last 4 years, and he has plateaued at around a .240 batting average with anywhere from 16 to 27 homers and anywhere between 9 and 20 steals. If we get 25 homers and 20 steals, he’s a winning player; if we get 15 and 9, not so much. The runs and RBI totals have been solid, so he has a decent floor to give us a .245-18-80-80-15 type season. He stays healthy, which is more than we can say for some players.

13) Corey Seager, Rangers

Aug 24, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) cannot field a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians second baseman Brayan Rocchio (not pictured) during the second inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Yep, this is who I meant by “some players”. Seager is one of the best-hitting shortstops in the game, and he very well could have had a Hall of Fame career if he could have managed to stay on the field for 150+ games every year. He has accomplished that feat exactly twice in his 9-year career (10 years including 2020). He teases us every year, but all he seems to do is get another year older. He’s this generation’s Larry Walker at shortstop. If he can manage to play 120 games, he’s worth a draft pick in the middle rounds. When he plays, he bats in a prime spot in the Rangers’ lineup, and he produces across 4 categories. If he falls to the 9th round or so, I can’t pass him up.

14) Bo Bichette, Mets

Bichette found a new home in New York and will fill a new position at the hot corner. The multi-position eligibility enhances his value, as third base has become a bit of a wasteland. Bo is a very good real-life player as he makes great contact, but the power has been trending in the wrong direction, and the stolen bases have almost completely evaporated. The move from The Rogers Centre to Citi Field isn’t going to help much either. Bichette is a good bet to anchor your batting average while chipping in 15+ home runs and decent run/RBI numbers. At just 28 years old, there’s a chance for the speed and power to come back, but I can’t count on that right now.

15) Trevor Story, Red Sox

Story might have made a crossroads deal last season to not only stay healthy for the first time since joining the Red Sox in 2022 but also to put up his best statistical season since 2019 while he was still in Colorado. Last year’s numbers merit a higher draft pick, but I just can’t do it before the 8th or 9th round. If he falls that far, I’m all for adding him to the roster, but his age and injury history make chasing last year’s numbers feel like a fool’s errand. I’ve watched enough episodes of “Supernatural” to know how those crossroad deals end. He will be drafted ahead of somebody like Otto Lopez and Masyn Winn, but I’d prefer to wait and take one of the younger players.